During the press conference, Kai apologised repeatedly for disappointing those who supported him and promised to “change for the better”. He also admitted to feeling lost and said that he had entertained thoughts of quitting showbiz during his two-week detention.

His manager, Angie Chai, told the media she was heartbroken when the first thing she heard from him after his release was, “What do I do now? I cannot work for the company anymore.”

When asked about his detention, the 23-year-old confessed to not being able to sleep in peace. He had to get up at six in the morning for lessons and shared a room with eight other people. The actor did not receive any special treatment and said, “Those who shared the room with me do not know who I am.”

The star, who shot to fame for his role in romance flick You’re The Apple Of My Eye, was accused of putting on a show when he cried profusely at an earlier press conference in Beijing. But Kai said it was not for show and no scripts were written.

Kai has not finalised plans for a comeback and will lie low for now to reflect on his actions and continue his studies to get a degree. His post on Facebook last Saturday: “I apologise to everyone, I will be better.” received more than 100,000 “likes” after an hour.